Films of the generic type with a polymer base and at least one longitudinally contiguous strip of electrically conductive coating, in particular, metal, are well known, see, e.g., EP 1 329 915 A1. According to this document, two such films are wound into a coil together to form a capacitor.
Similar capacitors where two or three such films are arranged one immediately above the other and wound together are known from EP 1 341 195 A1. Part of the electrically conductive coatings serve as electrically unconnected floating electrodes which subdivide the potential drop between two electrodes connected to opposite leads. Subsequent electrodes are always separated by an electrically insulating base. At least part of the coatings form tracks arranged side by side on the base of the respective film. However, the tracks are contiguous tracks, i.e. uninterrupted in the longitudinal direction. Also, two of the tracks in question each extend to one of the lateral edges of the film so they can be contacted there. Voltage differences and consequent electrical fields between tracks which are either arranged side by side at the same surface of the film or at opposite surfaces separated by the electrically insulating base of the film are of the same order of magnitude as the total voltage drop. As a consequence, the films in question and capacitors made from them are suitable for relatively low voltage applications only.